Wrench



R. J. COLSON.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10, IQIB.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J'. COLSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

WRENCH.

Application filed December 10, 1318.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. CoLsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Wrenches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to wrenches particularly of the type having a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, the principal objects of my invention being to provide a wrench which is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and the movable jaw of which can be easily and quickly adjusted toward or away from the fixed jaw and efiectively looked after such adjustment.

Further objects of my invention are to pivotally mount a portion of the sliding jaw so that it will be automatically forced into engagement with the nut, pipe, or other ob ject gripped between the jaws as pressure is applied to the handle of the wrench, and further, to provide a wrench wherein portions of the fixed and movable jaws are made removable in order that they may be readily removed when they become worn or unfit for service, and replaced by new parts.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a wrench of my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a view looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 2, in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken'approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates the shank or main body portion of the wrench, the same being in the form of a straight bar of steel or like metal, approximately rectangular in cross section and having its forward end bent substantially at right angles to the plane occupied by said shank to form a fixed jaw 11.

A plate 12, preferably of hardened metal,-

Speeification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

Serial No. 266,032.

is positioned against the inner face of jaw 11 and removably secured thereto by means of screws 13 or like fastening devices, such construction permitting the removal of plate 12 when it has become worn, broken or unfit for service. The face of this plate 12 is preferably provided with teeth 14 or, if de sired, said face may be roughened or corrugated in any suitable manner.

Positioned on the rear end of the shank 10 is a handle 15 which is formed of any desired material, preferably wood, and said handle being round or oval in cross section in order that it may be readily grasped in the hand. Formed on the side faces of shank 10 near its forward end are shoulders hereinafter more fully described, and seated in the underside of the shank 10 near the forward end of handle 15 is a pin 17, the

same serving as a stop to limit the rearward movement of the movable jaw. The lower corners of the shank 10 between the shoulders 16 and-the forward end of handle 15 are cut away so as to form longitudinally disposed shoulders 18 and the surface of the shank between these shoulders is provided with a series of transversely disposed teeth 19.

Formed in the underface of the shank 10 between the shoulders 18 and intersecting the teeth 19 is a relatively narrow longitudinally disposed groove 19*.

The sliding support or carrier for the movable jaw comprises a block 20 of suitable metal with which is formed integral a pair of parallel loops 21 which embrace and are arranged to slide upon shank 10. A pocket 22 is formed in this block 20 and when the latter is properly applied to the shank 10, this pocket is positioned immediately below the toothed face of said shank. The lower portions of the inner faces of the loops 21 are provided with shoulders 21 which at all times bear directly against shoulders 18 on shank 10.

Positioned within this pocket 22 and pivotally mounted upon a pin 23 which is seated in the block 20 is a dog 24 provided on its upper surface with a series of teeth which are adapted to engage the teeth 19 on shank 10. The rear end of this dog is provided with a notch 25 in which operates the forward end of a trigger or release lever 26,

the latter being fulcrumed upon 'ap i n 27 or I the like and which latter is seated in block 20. The forward portion of this trigger occupies recess 22 and the rear end thereof projects rearwardly and downwardly from the block 20.

A compression spring 27 seated in a suitright angles to the longitudinal axis of shank 10 and positioned in front of said block and adapted to bear against said inclined face is a jaw 28 which is formed of a substantially rectangular block of hardened metal and provided on its front face with a series of transversely disposed teeth 29. This jaw is mounted to swing vertically for a limited distance with respect to block 20by means of links30 applied to the side faces of the blocks 20 and 28 and secured thereto by means of screws or pins 31 or the like. It will be noted that the links 30 are pivotally connected to the central portion of jaw 28. Consequently as the latter moves toward or away from the shank 10 while adjusting itself to the engaged object, said jaw can swing freely in both directions, that is, its end portions can swing in both directions with the pivot pins or screws 31 as an axis.

Formed in the top of block 28 is a re cess 32 and arranged to slide therein is a tubular shank 33 with the upper end of which is formed integral a narrow head 34, the same being mounted for sliding movement in the groove 19. Arranged within tubular member 88 and recess 32 is a compression spring 35, the same tending to normally force jaw 28 downward with its rear face bearing against the inclined front face of block 20.

To force the movable jaw of my improved wrench into engagement with the object to be engaged, block 20 is moved forwardly upon shank 10 during which movement the teeth on do 2a ride over the teeth 19 and head 34 slices through groove 19 When plate 12 and jaw 28 are brought in contact with the nut, pipe or other object, manual pressure is applied in the proper direction to handle 15 and as a result, the engaged object will be firmly gripped by the teeth on said plate 12 and jaw 28 and said object will be rotated or held against rotation, as the case may be.

As increased pressure is applied to the handle 15 to grip the engaged object, jaw

28 will tendto swing upwardly toward shank lQ and which movement is permitted by virtue of the pivoted link connections betWeeIi said jaw and block 20." Thus, if the adjustment of block ao'u 'on' the shank" 10 does not bring the toothed face of jaw 28 cooperating with toothed plate 12 to firmly V grip the same. As soon as the pressure on handle 15 is relieved, spring 35 will act to return jaw 20 to its normal position, thereby releasing the engaged object and permitting the wrench to be readily removed therefrom. During the time the wrench is in service or while pressure is applied to the handle to grip an engaged object, the shoulders 21 on the inner faces of loops 21 bear directly against shoulders 18 on shank 10 and this engagement relieves the teeth on dog 24: and the teeth 19 of any undue pressure or strains.

To move. jaw 20 and jaw 28 away from the fixed jaw, it is only necessary to pull upwardly on the depending end of trigger 26 to disengage the teeth on dog 24: and the teeth 19 on shank 10 and then pull the jaw 20 rearwardly upon said shank.

Obviously, the principles involved in my improved construction can be advantageously applied to all forms of wrenches having one fixed and one movable jaw, for instance, monkey wrenches, stillson wrenches, pipe wrenches, and the like.

To avoid the necessity for discarding the entire wrench when the gripping members thereof become worn or unfit for service,

said gripping members are made readily removable in order that they can be detached and replaced by new parts.

A wrench .of my improved construction can be easily and quickly adjusted, automatically grips the engaged object as pressure is applied to the handle and said wrench possesses superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability and general efiiciency.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved wrench may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a wrench, a shank, a fixed jaw on one end thereof, and at right anglesthereto, said being provided'with transversely disposed teeth, the shank being provided with a longitudinally disposed groove, a blockarranged for sliding movement on the shank, a jaw pivotally connected to said block and adapted to move toward and away from the shank, a spring pressed member carried by said jaw and having its outer end arranged for sliding movement in the roove in the shank, and a dog located within the block and carried thereby, for engaging the teeth on the shank to lock said block against movement in one direction.

2. In a wrench, a shank, provided with a series of teeth, a jaw fixed on one end thereof, a block mounted for sliding movement upon the shank, a jaw disposed in front of said block, a pair of links pivotally connected to the block and to the central portion of the jaw whereby the latter can swing freely in both directions to adjust itself to an engaged member, and a spring pressed member carried by said loosely mounted jaw, the free end of which spring pressed member has sliding engagement with the shank, a toothed dog engaging the teeth of the shank and a lever for operating said dog.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 3d day of December, 1918. ROBERT J COLSON. 

